Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

The hunt is On.
Sponsored by
The hunt is On.
Can you track down Scotland's wildest beastie?

Premium Article !

Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.

Options

Premium Article !

To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the Edinburgh Evening News site.

Subscribe

Registered Article !

To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.

Sign In
Register

End of two-year legal fight opens door to new flats



Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 01 September 2008
By ALAN RODEN
THE transformation of one of Edinburgh's biggest eyesores is finally set to get under way after a two-year delay.
Seven-storey blocks of flats and a row of shops will be constructed under the £70 million scheme for the site of the former bus depot near Shrub Place.

The plans drawn up by BL Developments, which mark the fourth attempt to redevelop the area, rec
eived the go-ahead from city councillors in April 2006.

But it has taken until now for a deal to be struck between the council and developer over its level of contribution to the tram scheme and education services – which remains undisclosed.

Property experts today said the hold-up was "appalling" and urged the council to speed up its legal process.

Some demolition work and archeological checks have already taken place, and the construction project, which will take three years, will begin early next year.

More than 400 homes will be built, mainly one and two-bedroom flats, with one-quarter earmarked for affordable housing.

Philip Myerscough, managing director of BL Developments, said: "Signing of the (legal agreements] has taken an inordinate amount of time.

These things always take longer then you hope, and this is a major development, so inevitably has taken longer.

"But it's going to be fantastic for Leith Walk and the city."

A long-running battle over the depot was previously staged between residents and housebuilder Wimpey, which twice had a £30m scheme knocked back by councillors.

The new owners scaled back the size of some of the proposed buildings and moved them further apart to provide more public space, following consultation with residents.

Jason Hogg, director of development land at property experts Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "It is appalling that it has taken this long to get a legal agreement signed.

"The developer will feel the pain given the downturn in the market. The council's legal department is clearly under-resourced to deal with the volume of (planning] agreements coming through."

Local Lib Dem councillor Louise Lang said: "Nobody wants to see the site remain as it is, and I look forward to meeting with the developers in the coming weeks to learn more about their plans."

The council declined to comment.





The full article contains 383 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 01 September 2008 11:16 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Edinburgh Council
 
1

Buttress,

01/09/2008 11:59:16
So - it's not a 'legal fight' is it?

It's taken time to draw up an agreement.

"Philip Myerscough, managing director of BL Developments, said: "Signing of the (legal agreements] has taken an inordinate amount of time.

These things always take longer then you hope, and this is a major development, so inevitably has taken longer.

"But it's going to be fantastic for Leith Walk and the city." "

So maybe the holdup wasn't all the fault of the council?



2

Howard Moon,

01/09/2008 13:08:09
More flats? Aren't there enough there already? What a waste. With the Gateway closed across the road, and a tram stop (presumably) planned for that part of Leith Walk, surely that space would have been ideally suited to a new public building, like a theatre or maybe a leisure facility. Still, I suppose the council needs its tram 'contribution' (surely 'bribe') more. Wonder how much they got?
3

Buttress,

01/09/2008 13:38:53
It's a mixed use development, with retention of the Listed tramsheds too:

http://www.morganmcdonnell.co.uk/projects/residential/shrubhill/index.html

http://www.bldev.co.uk/projects/default.asp?newsid=11

4

Howard Moon,

01/09/2008 14:00:26
OK Buttress you've convinced me. This is exactly the sort of development Edinburgh is crying out for.

And with the tramsheds retained? I think this calls for a celebration.
5

Palermo,

01/09/2008 14:04:39
I happen to agree with Buttress #1 here

Well said...

The story strikes a clear angle towards saying the Council are just sitting around for up to 2 years toying with a piece of paper, when actually the reality is these types of legal agreement and negotiation are most often held up by the developer seeking an advantageous deal (for them, as oposed to for the taxpayer).

It's fairly routine business practice, but not necessarily a cause for public sympathy!!!

6

Statsman,

Edinburgh 01/09/2008 14:17:04
How can the tram money be hidden? The whole scheme was held up by the council insisting on tram money so it should be made public.

This is typical of this bully council thinking it is above scrutiny from council tax payers.

It is really something when a very large chunk of council expenditure goes on PR and lawyers to protect itself from its citizens.
7

Statsman,

Edinburgh 01/09/2008 14:19:31
1 Buttress

The council will not release the amount of money it is getting. We have been told the tram cash comes from a formula that isn't up for debate. Well in this instance it has been debated and no one is telling.
8

Buttress,

01/09/2008 14:34:46
Still, that's not really a 'legal fight' with the developer as reported by Mr Rodent is it?
9

Howard Moon,

01/09/2008 14:41:06
If I may leave at a tangent here, I was pleasantly surprised to read the thoughts of 'Local Lib Dem councillor Louise Lang', the reason being that prior to this outburst, I was completely unaware of her existence. I take it she is some relation to their Westminster candidate Kevin Lang?

OK, I admit it. I checked the Lib Dem website. Before then I hadn't heard of him either.
10

Buttress,

01/09/2008 15:09:53
Well, as I understand that all plans were passed in 2006, (there was a long battle with Wimpey before that... ) she's a little late in realising something is happening.



11

Think Tank,

01/09/2008 15:21:06
The new build component of this scheme is pretty dull architecturally for a key gapsite in the city.

They even appear to be too embarrassed to put the projected images on the main Shrubhill page.
12

Howard Moon,

01/09/2008 15:55:16
Loving the way roles are being reversed here, compared with the 'other' development on that eyesore gapsite down by the train station. Buttress enjoys whispering about 'brown envelopes' ('Oh I couldn't possibly comment' and all that rubbish) but isn't fussed about these undeclared tram payments.

First Forth Ports and their '£29 million', now this big ? You would expect this in a one-party state with a state-sanctioned press, but not here (well actually you would expect it here).

Come on EEN, how much money is being taken by the council, and what's it going to be spent on? Is the tram project still on budget so far? Enough with the incessant 'drivers face thirty second delay on Haymarket' drivel - do what the workers never look like they can be bothered to do and get digging!
13

Buttress,

01/09/2008 16:08:15
Brown envelopes - what do you mean?

Go on spell it out... I haven't commented, although I have seen many other comment on this site being fairly specific. I think it's a site running joke?


I haven't commented one way or the other about the tram payments. It appears that these are council official policy. If you think that this is wrong, then possibly take it up with the council, or your councillor.

Yes Septic, we've been there before. It should have been tower blocks painted dayglo orange, and lit up at night,in a strange shape, naturally. Have you seen all the plans?

Of course, all the local people who had input must be wrong. They should have had some architect's 17 storey vision imposed on them for their own good.

I don't suspect that Septic has the first idea about architecture, in reality.





14

Think Tank,

01/09/2008 19:11:00
Whatever you say Katherine.

No point arguing- if you can't answer you'll just hit report unsuitable anyway.

I've never seen an official website for a new development not contain a single image of the development though. That's a new on on me. The restored tram sheds look beautiful and interesting- shame they didn't try to inject some interest into the new builds too. Quite Scandinavian.

15

Applecrumble,

Balerno 01/09/2008 19:52:50
I see there is also another development just along the road for a new block of student flats - TWO EYESORES FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!
16

Buttress,

01/09/2008 21:28:42
Not sure who Katherine is - has Septic totally lost his marbles?

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 

More Edinburgh Council

More Edinburgh Council >>

Today's Vote

Would you hand your garden over to someone who wants an allotment but can’t get one?
Yes, as long as they gave me some of the veg
No, I’d rather do the gardening myself
No, I don’t want anyone digging up my paving slabs

Web Links:

Featured Advertising



Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.